Posting Form for Policy on Third Party Comments

The Commission currently publishes in its accredited lists of programs the year of
the next site visit for each program it accredits. In addition, the Commission posts
its spring and fall Accreditation Announcements on ada.org, those programs being site
visited January through June or July through December. Developing programs submitting
initial accreditation applications may be scheduled for site visits after the posting
of the Accreditation Announcements; thus, the specific dates of these site visits
will not be available for publication. These programs will be noted in the Accreditation
Announcements with a special notation that the developing programs have submitted
initial accreditation applications and may or may not be scheduled for site visits.
Parties interested in these specific dates (should they be established) are welcomed/encouraged
to contact the Commission office.

The United States Department of Education (USDE) procedures also require accrediting
agencies to provide an opportunity for third-party comment, either in writing or at
a public hearing (at the accrediting agencies’ discretion) with respect to institutions
or programs scheduled for review. All comments must relate to accreditation standards
for the discipline and required accreditation policies. In order to comply with the
department's requirement on the use of third-party comment regarding program's qualifications
for accreditation or pre-accreditation, the following procedures have been developed.

WHO CAN SUBMIT COMMENTS: Third-party comments relative to the Commission’s accredited programs may include
comments submitted by interested parties such as faculty, students, program administrators,
Commission consultants, specialty and dental related organizations, patients, and/or
consumers.

HOW COMMENTS CAN BE SOLICITED: The Commission will request written comments from interested parties in the spring
and fall posting of Accreditation Announcements. In fairness to the accredited programs,
all comments relative to programs being visited will be due in the Commission office
no later than 60 days prior to each program’s site visit to allow time for the program
to respond. Therefore, programs being site-visited in January through June will be
noted in the fall posting of Accreditation Announcements of the previous year and
programs scheduled for a site visit from July through December will be noted in the
spring posting of the current year. Any unresolved issues related to the program’s
compliance with the accreditation standards will be reviewed by the site visit team
while on-site.

Those programs scheduled for review are responsible for soliciting third-party comments
from students and patients by publishing an announcement at least 90 days prior to
their site visit. The notice should indicate the deadline of 60 days for receipt of
third-party comments in the Commission office and should stipulate that comments must
pertain only to the standards for the particular program or policies and procedures
used in the Commission’s accreditation process. The announcement may include language
to indicate that a copy of the appropriate accreditation standards and/or the Commission's
policy on third-party comments may be obtained by contacting the Commission at 211
East Chicago Avenue, Chicago, IL 60611, or by calling 1/800-621-8099, extension 4653.

TYPES OF COMMENTS CONSIDERED: All comments submitted must pertain only to the standards relative to the particular
program being reviewed or policies and procedures used in the accreditation process.
Comments will be screened by Commission staff for relevancy. For comments not relevant
to these issues, the individual will be notified that the comment is not related to
accreditation and, where appropriate, referred to the appropriate agency. For those
individuals who are interested in submitting comments, requests can be made to the
Commission office for receiving standards and/or the Commission's Evaluation and Operational
Policies and Procedures (EOPP).

MANAGEMENT OF COMMENTS: All relevant comments will be referred to the program at least 50 days prior to the
site visit for review and response. A written response from the program should be
provided to the Commission office and the site visit team 15 days prior to the site
visit. Adjustments may be necessary in the site visit schedule to allow discussion
of comments with proper personnel.

Adopted: (07/95) Revised: (1/97) Updated: (02/06)

INSTITUTION: Community College of Rhode Island

PROGRAM(S) TO BE REVIEWED: Dental Assisting and Dental Hygiene

SITE VISIT DATE: September 5, 2018 - September 7, 2018

60-DAY DEADLINE FOR RECEIPT OF COMMENTS IN THE COMMISSION OFFICE: July 1, 2018